Annunciator



UNTT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELFERING, OF-MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

AN N U N C|ATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,192, dated April25, 1893.

Application filed October 3, 1892- Serial No. 447,654. (No model.)

invention; Fig. 2, a similar view thereof with the glass slide closingthe open front of its case removed; Fig. 3, a View of the device invertical central section on the line ab of Fig. 1, showing its mechanismin side elevation; Fig. 4, a view of the device in transverse section onthe line c-d of Fig. 3.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of annunciatorswhich are adapted to be operated to select and display one of a' numberof signals or wants chosen with reference to the messages which occasionmost frequently demands the sending of to a central point, and isparticularly designed for hotel annunciation, the object of the presentinvention being to produce a device which shall be very simple toconstruct and keep in repair, reliable in use, and require only thesimple wiring of an ordinary drop-annunciator, which it may, if desired,replace.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in an annunciator havingcertain details of construction and combinations of parts as will behereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

As herein shown, the device is adapted for use in hotel annunciation,although it is apparent that it is not limited to such use, but may beemployed in a great variety of situations where annunciators are used,by simply suiting the wants to the character of messages to be sent byit. As herein shown, also, the case A, of the device is designed tocontain only one mechanism although it is obvious that a number ofmechanisms may be included in one case, if desired. The case A has theform of an oblong rectangular box,

having its open front closed by a movable guests from their rooms.

slide B, of glass, which is painted so as to be opaque, except for asingle opening 13, over which is placed a number 1, which we will assumeindicates that this particular device is electrically connected withroom No. 1 of the hotel, in the office of which the device is located.Directly back of, and close to this glass slide B, is located avertically movable tablet C, displaying upon its outer face a verticalseries of wants, which will be chosen with reference to the mostfrequent calls of These Wants are printed in parallel horizontal linesat equal distances apart, sothat as the tablet is dropped step by step,and for an equal distance each time, the wants will be successivelybrought into alignment with and display through theopeningB,intheslideB. Theupperandlower ends of this tablet are securedby short sheetmetal leaves d, under which its edges are introduced, to asheet-metal carrier D, consisting of a strip of sheet-metal, having itsupper and lower ends bent rearward at a right angle, and attached bymeans of screws 01' d to the upper and lower ends respectively of avertically movable rack E, having its rear edge toothed, and havingbearing in the up per and lower members F and F, of an open metal frame,which is attached by screws ff, to the back of the case A. The teeth ofthe said rack are alternately engaged by the opposite ends of adouble-acting pawl G, hung in substantially a vertical plane, on ahorizontal pivot g, the opposite ends of which are supported by thehorizontal, intermediate members F F, of the frame, as shown by Fig. 4of the drawings. The upper end of the said pawl is located in thepresence of one of the poles of a small magnet I-I, placed in anelectric circuit, represented by the wires h and h, which are connectedwith a battery of suitable construction, and also with some form ofcircuit-breaker, which is situated we will say, in room No. 1 of thehotel, and may be an ordinary push-button, or a substitute therefor. Alight coiled spring I, connected with the lower end of the said pawl G,is arranged to exert a constant effort to pull the said end of the pawlaway from the rack, and therefore to throw the upper end of the pawlinto engagement therewith.

In the normal condition of the apparatus above described, the circuitthrough the magnet H, being open, the spring Tl will operate to keep theupper end of the pawl in engagement with the rack, which will normallybe lifted to the limit of its upward movement. Then when the circuit isclosed, and the magnet energized, the upper end of the pawl will beattracted by the same, causing the pawl to swing on its pivot so as todisengage its upper end from the rack, and throw its lower end intoengagement therewith against the tension of the said spring. Thismovement of the pawl allows the rack to drop less than the distancerepresented by one tooth, but sufficiently to permit the tooth lastengaged by the upper end of the pawl to pass below the said end of thesame, and also to permit the tooth that previously stood just above thelevel of the lower end of the pawl to engage therewith and support therack. When the circuit is broken and the pawl allowed to retuln to itsnormal position, the spring I, acts and strikes the upper end of thepawl into engagement with the tooth of the rack next above the tooththereof last engaged by the said end of the pawl,-the rack now fallingenough more to make a total movement represented by one tooth. For onemaking and breaking of the circuit through the magnet H, the rack istherefore allowed to fall only through the distance represented by onetooth. The tablet will have a corresponding downward movement and thelowest want on the list of wants displayed upon its outer face, will bebrought into view throughthe opening in the glass slide of the case. Ifit is desired to bring the fourth Want in the list, counting from thelower end thereof upward, the circuit must be made and broken fourseparate times, thus allowing the rack to drop through the distancerepresented by four of its teeth.

It is thought that the foregoing will sulficiently illustrate theoperation of the appara'tus in selecting the wants upon its tablet.After the apparatus has been operated and the message brought in by itnoted, it is rod provided with a handle J, at its lower end, and mountedin the bottom of the case A, in line with the rack E. To restore theapparatus to its normal condition, the rod is pushed upward until therack has been lifted to the limit of its upward movement.

I would have it understood that in carrying out my invention I may makesome slight changes from the construction herein shown and described,and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself tothe particular form and arrangement of parts set forth, but hold myselfat liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall withinthe spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware, however, that it is old to provide an annunciator with adouble-acting pawl having its respective ends arranged to co-operatewiththe rack carrying a want-tablet, and a magnet. I do not therefore claimthat combination broadly, but only my particular construction;

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In an annunciator, the combination with a frame, of a vertically movablerack mounted therein and projecting above and below the same, awant-tablet attached to the projecting upper and lower ends of the saidrack, and displaying several wants arranged one above the other, amagnet mounted in the said frame, a double-acting pawl hung in the saidframe with its ends respectively arranged to co-operate with the magnetand with the pawl, and a spring connected with the pawl and tending tomove it away from the rack against the pull of the magnet, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. ELFERING.

Witnesses:

FRED. O. EARLE, GEO. D. SEYMOUR.

